So some of you know that I got engaged on July 3rd while on vacation with Jimmy and his family on Lake George..


Apparently, that was also the day that my dog, Polly's, health really started to go downhill.  Previous to that, she would not eat for three days and then, when they took her to the vet, she had a fever so high, they couldn't get it down and when they transferred her to an emergency vet the next morning, they determined she had some sort of cancer that was releasing toxins into her faster than the antibiotics could fight it off.

Somehow I knew she was going to be gone by the time I got back.  Before I left, I had to run back in the house for something else and I just felt I needed to say goodbye to her...  And I knelt down and gave her a big hug and asked her to stick around until I got back.  But if she needed to go that she should just go and not suffer... 

She passed away on Saturday, July 4th.  I hope she didn't suffer.  I hope she knew how happy I was at that very same moment.

And I hope she's treating Pepper and P Penelope Puppy alright in the big dog-park in the sky.


Goodbye, my doggy-wog Polly-wog.  I will miss you.


Rest in Peace, Pollyanna Slagle.

On my way to BOSTON!! And then a short jaunt through New York to Lake George.

I'm hoping to have time to hang out with Z and Nick maybe.  I'll call you guys!

Gosh a lot has happened in the past 2 weeks.  I got back from Rochester and got a storm of calls from a Dallas Suzuki teacher moving to Wisconsin and several moms involved with her studio.  In the end it looks like I'm gonna have at least 25 students.  Then I heard this commercial about how Cousin's Pianos in Garland was going out of business and stopped by there a couple days ago.  Voila.  I have now invested in a new 6'1" Pramberger grand to go alongside my little 5'7" Kawai (for about $10,200 including tax.  an extremely awesome deal, I must say.)  It's got excellent tone and really easy action for little fingers.  My parents floated me a loan for that one but now I'm talking to a commercial real estate agent and my old piano teacher's husband has volunteered not only his services as a business consultant (drawing up insurance and liability as well as a retirement plan) but has also offered to help me remodel whatever studio space I end up in for this little venture.  Since he is also a minor contractor on the side he has all sorts of contract and wholesale connections which will allow me to do this very cheaply  (comparitively)  Now I just have to get a space and his estimate and I can go to the bank to take out a small business loan and get everthing rolling.

I feel like things are just whizzing by!! o_o  

Now here are my questions.  I want to have internet access and phone in the studio.  I was thinking of getting Roadrunner (or cable modem equivalent) for internet and a cell phone as my business number so I can always be available (and have a local number for my business line)  My Dad is trying to talk me into DSL with a landline for the phone.  But... I don't think I want a landline.  Can you even silence those phones? I can't have them ringing during a lesson.  Cell phones can be silenced.  And like I said I can be accessable much more often.  ... Advice?

Also what kind of cell phone should I be looking for?  I think I'm gonna get a new one anyway and I dunno how complicated I need to make it.  I mean.. do I really need to go so far as to get a BlackBerry sort of phone?  I'm going to be using this laptop as my business computer so I'm pretty sure I have all the portable functionality I would need in just that.  I don't know.  Again I am in need of advice.  

Pearce.  I'm giving you a pointed stare from over her.  You're a business guru type.  Help meeeeeeee.

Now to come up with my own estimates for the cost of all the other stuff I need to put together. So many things on my list!!

I just saw a midnight showing of Up!...

Go.  See.  It.  Right.  Now.


I'm waffling about putting it on par with Finding Nemo on my Pixar rating list.  I seriously think it is one of the best movies they have ever done.  Particularly since they made the 3D such an integral part and didn't resort to cheap "OMG POP IN YOUR FACE" effects.  


The storytelling is excellent.  I laughed, I cried.  It was beautiful.  Any movie would have to be a doozy to beat them for best animated feature this year.  Not that much has beat them .. recently...  ... at all...  ever.


Yay Pixar.

Hehe... Drawing is fun again :3 


So is not being in school.  At least it will be fun until I realize I'm broke and need a job.

Since I've been kinda neglecting my LJ updates.. (but not reading!) .. I thought I'd weigh in and brag a little more about finishing my Master's degree.


I FINISHED MY MASTER'S DEGREE!!! Yes.  You may call me master if you wish.  Karen Slagle, MMEd \o/


Also my final GPA is a 3.821. .. That's pretty spankin good!! Probably the highest GPA I've ever had.  Unless you count Middle School.  I'm pretty sure I had a 4.0.


Yes.  Cap, Gown and Hood with lovely pink embellishments.  I thought it was gonna clash with the gown but.. I dunno it's not so bad.  It looks pretty swanky actually.  which is why I can only afford to RENT all the accoutrements.  Geez Louise is it expensive to buy it.  If I ever teach at the University level I'll have to go ahead and blow the bucks though *sigh*  Oh well.  I guess we shall see when that day comes.

For those of you wondering, yes, I have picked up a few old projects in my free time :)  Although I've also been heavily engrossed in Fable II.

And now to go pick up all the guest passes...

I'm not sure what to make of this.. but it's sitting in my SMU inbox

Hope they get their Vader back.  It must be lonely without the Dark Side.

Wow school ends early this year.

Ordered my cap, gown and hood and everything already. 

But I've still got to finish all my 5 major projects before May 9th! X_X  Let's see what happens, shall we?

I can see the finish line!.. I CAN SEE IT!!! .. with binoculars :P

Wish me luck.

So.  I never put much credit towards the Mozart Effect.  And I still don't.

However... Listening to Bach Fugues and having a fat fuzzy orange cat snuggled up to me is really helping me focus on these stupid exit exams. 

Just gotta keep swimming!! >:

Well school starts back up this week.  And so do exit exams. 

If you don't see me around, it's possibly because I'm burying myself in a stack of books studying and writing essays for my comprehensives.


Oh how I can't wait for school to be over.

For at least 2 years!! >:


Also I'm realizing how much money I splurged this last weekend XD Good thing I've been doing some saving too!

It was all worth it for Chelsea's wedding though ;_;  So beautiful!!   I might post pictures of me with floofy hair and perdy dress soon.

Stolen from calli :P


Rock on.

Thanks to everyone who wished me a Happy Birthday :P  It was a perfectly good birthday!  Even if it was for the quarter century mark ;P

I don't feel old or anything.  But I'm beginning to feel the passage of time I think.   You know?  There were things I was going to do by the time I was 25.

Anyway apparently my Birthday isn't over yet.  Jimmy is taking me out tomorrow night and won't tell me a thing about where we're going!

Guess I'll find out soon..

Everything about Watchmen is awesome except for the crappy soundtrack. 

Woo!

-k

Haha!!! Ok I stole this from Kaitlyn.  But it is awesome.

Ok I finally got around to watching the first episode of Dollhouse.


And I'm hooked.

I guess I shouldn't be surprised.  Joss is Boss (as Jim has just reminded me)




School can't be ended soon enough.  I'm tired. -_-

So.  I may sound crazy, since I've changed my mind about my life about 50 times in the past year.  But since the Air Force seems to not be working out, I'm thinking really hard about taking a year off to teach and you know.. fulfill myself... and heal from 22 years of school with not a few of those including extreme lack of sleep. 

And then getting my Doctorate when and if Jimmy and I move to Boston. 

And I'm looking really hard at Boston University

It's an online degree but that makes me think that there's probably a non-online equivalent.  Although since I've got a fairly certain teaching job lined up at the Boston Suzuki school, maybe the online working-girl option is the best bet.

Why do I want to do this?  Well... while my grad degree has been pretty intense and not so fun.. there has been one aspect that's been REALLY fun.  And that's been doing a private study with Dr. Allen on teaching children musical form with animated listening guides.  I've made two and this semester I'm taking 3 hours so I can really devote time and effort to one more and an accompanying study and possibly get it into some sort of professional publication.

I think I could really do something worthwhile here.

It's still very tentatively on the table though.  And the Doctorate will NOT happen for at least a year after I get my Masters.

Thoughts? Advice?  Am I addicted to school?

Ok.. This Australian chick is one if the silliest/wittiest/most original comic artists.

And here is her post for today http://kinokofry.livejournal.com/191932.html


In other news.. about today.

How amazing. :) Just full of warm fuzzies.


Except that classes started back today..and I have a HUGE-EXAM-OF-DOOM looming on the near horizon.


;_;

Dear Kaitlyn,

I don't really know how to tell you this but, you're a pervert. I think I realized it when your dwarf bit me in your apartment and I saw you sit on my illegitimate child in Ghana.
I'm sure you're frostbitten enough to understand that you need a sex change. (Ha!)
I'm returning your couch cushions to you, but I'll keep your left ear as a memory.
You should also know that I always wanted to break your legs and you should stop picking your nose.

Please don't hurt me,
Karen

RULES*
Pick a friend, any friend, and choose the correct answer, and fill it in the blanks in the message at the bottom. Tag them. See what they say. It's funny!

1. What's the color of your shirt?
Blue - Our romance is over
Red - Our affair is over
White – I’m joining the Convent
Black - I dislike your eyelashes
Green - Our socks don't match
Grey - You're a pervert
Yellow - I'm selling myself for candy
Pink - Your nostrils are insulting
Brown - The mafia wants you
No shirt - You're mean
Other - I'm in love with your cat

2. Which is your birth month?
January - That night you picked your nose
February - Last year when you peed your pants
March - When your dwarf bit me
April - When I tripped on peanut butter
May - When I threw up in your sock drawer
June - When you put cuffs on me
July – When you smacked my ass
August - When I saw the purple monkey
September - When we skinny dipped in the bathtub
October - When I quoted Forest Gump
November - When your dog humped my leg
December - When I finally changed my underwear

3. Which food do you prefer?
Tacos - In your apartment
Lasagna- In your car
Pasta - Outside of your office
Hamburgers - Under the bus
Salad – As you were eating Kraft Dinner
Chicken - In your closet
Kebab - With Jean Chrétien
Fish - In a clown suit
Sandwiches - At the Elton John concert
Pizza - At the mental hospital
Hot dog - Under a street light
Annat- With George Bush and Stephen Harper

4. What's the color of your socks?
Yellow - Hit on
Red - Insult
Black - Ignore
Blue - Knock out
Purple - Pour syrup on
White - Carve your initials into
Grey - Pull the clothes off
Brown - Put whipped cream on
Orange - Castrate
Pink - Pull the pants off of
Barefoot - Sit on
Other - Drive over

5. What's the color of your underwear?
Green - My boyfriend
White - My father
Grey – The Catholic Priest
Brown – Your ‘My Little Pony’ collection
Purple - My corned beef hash
Red – My knee caps
Blue - My salt-beef bucket
Yellow - My illegitimate child in Ghana
Orange - My Blink 182 cd
Pink – The Montreal Canadian’s goalie
None – My prized statue of Michael Jackson in the nude
Other - The elephant in the corner

6. What do you prefer to watch on TV?
Scrubs; Man
O.C.; Emotional
One Tree Hill; Open
Heroes; Frostbitten
Lost; High
House; Sly
Simpsons; Cowardly
The news; Scarred
Idol; Masochistic
Family Guy; Senile
Top Model; Middle-class
Annat; Ashamed

7. Your mood right now?
Happy - How awful you are
Sad - How boring you are
Confused- That Santa doesn't exist
Angry - That your smell makes me vomit
Depressed – That we’re related
Excited - That I may pee my pants
Nervous - The middle-east is planning their revenge on you
Worried - That your Ford sucks
Bored- That you need a sex-change
Ashamed - That I'm allergic to your earlobes
Cuddly - That I get turned on by garbage men
Silly - That there is no solution to you being a dumbass
Other - That your driving sucks

8. What's the color of your walls in your bedroom?
White - Your toe ring
Yellow - Your love letters to me
Red - Your Elton John poster
Black - Your pet rock
Blue - The couch cushions
Green - The pictures from Vegas
Orange - Your false teeth
Brown - Your nose hair clippers
Grey - Our matching snoopy underwear
Purple - Your old New Kids on the Block blanket
Pink - The cut toenails
Other - Your car

9. The first letter of your first name?
A/B - Your photo with the moustache drawn on it
C/D - The oil tank from your car
E/F - Your neighbour’s dog
G/H - My virginity
I/J - The results of that blood-sample
K/L - Your left ear
M/N - Your suicide note
O/P - My common sense
Q/R - Your mom
S/T - Your collection of butterflies
U/V - Your criminal record
W/X – Your glass eye
Y/Z - Your credit cards

10. The last letter in your last name?
A/B - Told my psychiatrist about the bruises
C/D - Never will forget that night
E/F - Always wanted to break your legs
G/H – Hate your cooking
I/J – Mocked you behind your back constantly
K/L - Will tell the authorities that you did not steal that whale in the back yard
M/N - Told in my confession today about the moose poaching
O/P - Was interviewed about the car you stole
Q/R - Always will remember the pep talks
S/T - Get sick when I think of your feet
U/V - Will try to forget that you broke my heart
W/X - Haven’t showered in a month
Y/Z – Am better off without you

11. What do you prefer to drink?
Water- Our friendship is ruined
Beer – you should stop picking your nose
Flavored water – I’m off to lead a new life as a lemur
pepsi – I will haunt you when I’m incarnated as an Eskimo
Milk - The apartment building is on fire
Wine – Thanks for the Cocaine
Cider – I have a passionate interest for mice
Juice – I love Oprah Winfrey
Mineral water – You should get that embarrassing rash checked
Hot chocolate – Your Cucumber-fetishism is weird
Whisky - You ruined my attempts at another world war
Other – I'm scratching my ass as you read this

12. To which country would you prefer to go on a vacation?
Thailand – Warm tingly sensations
USA - Best of luck on the sex-change
England - Good luck in jail
Spain - Go drown yourself
China – You make me sick
Germany – Go milk a cow
Japan - Please don't hurt me
Greece - Your everlasting enemy
Australia - Greetings to your frog Leonard
Egypt – Kiss my ass
France – With tears of sadness


Now, FILL IT IN ..

Dear (Friend) ,

I don't really know how to tell you this, but 1___. I think I realized it ___2___ ___3___ and I saw you ___4___ ___5___.
I'm sure you're ___6___ enough to understand ___7___.
I'm returning ___8___ to you, but I'll keep ___9___ as a memory.
You should also know that I ___10___ and ___11___.

___12___,
then write your name here